Add transitive dependencies section to Meta-programming anti-pattern #13766
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| for example, will also create a compile dependency. Some external libraries may also | ||
| create compile dependencies by using macros. | ||
| [`mix xref`](https://hexdocs.pm/mix/main/Mix.Tasks.Xref.html#module-a-brief-introduction-to-xref) | ||
| can be useful to identify these dependencies and refactor the code to remove them. |
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Thank you @Gladear! I am wondering if this is the best place to have this guide. The issue here are not strictly related to meta-programming. After all, simply using Foo.bar() in the body of a module will be enough to trigger this issue. I wonder if it fits either in Code or Design ones. It feels a bit higher level to be in Design, but it is not strictly about Design either.
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I just pushed an anti-pattern on compile-time dependencies, which I think is the most appropriate for this guide, inspired by the conversation started here: https://github.com/elixir-lang/elixir/blob/main/lib/elixir/pages/anti-patterns/macro-anti-patterns.md#compile-time-dependencies
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I wondered that too when writing the guide. It actually does feel like an antipattern, more like a warning when using macros. I wondered if this could be added to the meta-programming guide, maybe after Write macros responsibly ?
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In my mind, the core of the issue is that this warning is for application developers first, not library developers. It is hard to think of the best place to put it at right now, besides mix xref. :(
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Hmm, OK, I get what you're saying.
I'm looking at the Mix & OTP section of the documentation. What about linking it indirectly?
- adding a reference to
mix compile.elixirin "Introduction to Mix" > "Project compilation" - on a "to go further" kind of link, - adding a link to
mix xrefthere - there's already a small paragraph about dependencies between files, - adding an antipattern section to
mix ref?
I think it has the advantage of being simple to find. People will search for "compilation" in the Elixir documentation if they're interested in the topic, and they'll find "Project compilation" under "Introduction to Mix". Then they can expand on the topic easily.
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So to be clear, you want to add more links to the existing mix xref docs, right? Would you like to send a PR for those? Also, do you think some of what you wrote could be added to mix xref?
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Indeed, that's the idea : add links to mix xref and document this issue in there.
I'll create a new PR for the links and update this one to move this section I wrote in mix xref when I get access to my computer again, starting Monday 😄
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Hi! I'm sorry, I completely forgot about this PR 😅 I updated it to add the links I talked about earlier.
Gladear
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As discussed in #13762 (comment), I added a "transitive dependencies" section to "Meta-programming anti-patterns".
I obviously open to feedback, whether typos or more general remarks about the content of the section. I've tried to keep it simple whilst exposing the problem, linking to
mix xrefwhen complexity arises.This also fixes the documentation of
mix xrefa bit, since it only stated "runtime dependencies" can cause compile-connected ones, whilst all dependencies are affected.